It was a very busy day for The Kindness Bicycle/Bus Tour, as I visited the Mayor’s office of Colorado Springs, The President’s office of Colorado College, Safe Passage Child Advocacy Center, TESSA Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Center and Kindness Bicycle rides in between all these visits.
A tour of Safe Passage by Interim Executive Director, Tammi Pitzen gave me great insight on the services they provide the 2 counties in their jurisdiction. They are busy beyond belief, over 950 victims were brought through their doors last year alone. A backpack project helps kids who need foster care, a quilting guild provides quilts for children who come to the facility, and a Fill the Gap program as well. They work with local law enforcement and the FBI on issues of national jurisdiction. They are the Western Regional Children’s Advocacy Center, providing training to CACs throughout the western US with close associations with the National Children’s Alliance.
What an unbelievable visit this afternoon to TESSA. I was given a complete tour of their facility by Executive Director, Connie Brachtenbach. This very focused woman proudly showed every area of the building and told me of the great successes which are borne out of the many programs they offer to the community.
This facility is incredible, so many needs are addressed, all under one roof. The dedicated staff of 40 individuals and 185 volunteers offer Victim Advocacy, Safehouse, Crisis Lines, Children’s Programs, Counseling Programs, Domestic Violence Awareness, Community Outreach and so much more. These individuals are so busy and work with a passion. It obviously comes right from the top down.
At the end of my tour, I was invited by Connie to address the staff during their meeting. Their interest and kind words were very inspiring to me. Thank you to everyone for making my day a very special one.
Please help us spread our message of a Goal of Kindness to schoolchildren across the country. Your donations are crucial to making this a reality.
Mail donations to:
One Million Acts Of Kindness
PO Box 770054
Lakewood, OH 44107
You can also donate through PayPal:
Bogart is my travel companion on The Kindness Bus Tour for the next ten years. We will be on the road traveling to campuses across the country. Bogart is a eight year old Boston Terrier. He is a great people dog... he loves meeting new people. I am Bogart's fourth owner in his short 8 years of life... Not because of him but because his three previous owner's lifestyles changed after they took him in... Lucky for me!! Bogart is the luckiest, most spoiled dog on the face of the earth. He loves the bus and he loves to travel. Please come and visit him when we are on your campus.
The Blue Bird Corporation donated this amazing bus to One Million Acts of Kindness, allowing us the continue this initiative. It has been painted to closely resemble the original Kindness Bus. It will last well beyond the ten years of this mission. A very big thank you to Blue Bird from Bob Votruba and Bogart too!!
The original Kindness bus has been donated to a professor at Virginia Tech who will use it on campus and at schools in the Blacksburg area. The Kindness Bus will continue to inspire and comfort residents, students and visitors in that area for years to come.
One Million Acts Of Kindness is a goal. A goal for each person to individually perform One Million Acts Of Kindness in their life. Can you imagine a greater goal for one's life? It is a constant mind-set of kindness every day of your life for the next fifty-five years. Doing for others and kindness in your heart for everyone. It is my wish that you will dedicate your life to a charity... finding the passion in your heart for something or someone in need.
As a father of three college age kids I am concerned for the world in which all kids will live. A great way to create a safer, more caring world is for everyone to start their lifetime goal of One Million Acts Of Kindness. So I bought a bus, had about sixty family members, friends and neighbors help paint it and began a ten year journey with my Boston Terrier, Bogart, to college campuses across the country hoping to convince as many of you as possible about this much needed movement for this world. I love you guys too much to sit back and not do anything about this. Let's start a kindness movement in this country today to change the direction this world is headed!! You are the change that this world needs.